Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The Only CPA in the Race for Governor?

I have recieved a number of e-mails and even listened to some kolleague pontifications as to why certain names like Iowa State Auditor David Vaudt were not listed in the Krusty 12-Pack.

Certainly a strong argument kould be made as to why he would be a formidable kandidate konsidering his work to bring the CIETC scandal to light and a few "Go directly to jail and do not kollect $200 as they pass Go" tickets to the La Machina members. More recently he exposed the charade of state government konsulting kontracts that promised to save taxpayer money but ended up saving far less than the konsulting kontract fee as was the kase for A.T. Kearney. His konstant fiskally konsertive lectures about the state's accounting practices have made him the darling of the grassroots who have all sat through the power point presentation at least twice by now. He may be able to draw some of the independent voters as well konisdering he has not been hesitant to kall out fiscally irresponsible behavior by his party. Just ask Fmr. Speaker of the House Rants if he has ever felt the sting of a Vaudt press release or two.

This weekend Vaudt appeared on IPTV where Iowa's premiere political reporter, O.K. Henderson of Radio Iowa asked if he was thinking about running for higher office (as is the kase anytime they have an elected official in studio) and his response is indicative of why he won't be running:

"I'm flattered by the fact that other people would konsider me to be a potentialkandidate for a higher office, I look at it and say the next election cycleisn't until 2010 and we haven't even gotten through the 2008 election cycle yetso it's a long ways off. I'm only about a third of the way through mycurrent, four-year term so I've got a long ways to go before I'd try to make oneof those decisions."

If he were willing to konsider giving up his kooshy safe for life job, he would be already amassing a war chest and laying the groundwork via a more upfront response to inquires regarding his political future by saying ,"I'm keeping my options open" or "no one knows what the future holds" etc. In order to make a run against the Big Lug who is obviously running for re-election given his savy veto of the kollective bargaining and state salaries bills, Vaudt must first give himself the option of running should he decide to do so. And without the kitchen kabinet of Gang of 50 types and kash up front, the option won't be there. Some of his would-be primary opponents have been running for seven years or more already and have a head start on him.